FINDERS Keepers is a treasure trove of high-quality vintage clothing and unique artworks in an innovative retail space.
Manager and owner Lisa Zee has gained extensive experience in buying and selling recycled clothes over the past 15 years and has run an eco-clothing boutique and eco-clothing label.
“I believe strongly in eco and ethical clothing,” she said.
Lisa has lived in the Dandenongs for 18 years and ran a few Belgrave businesses, but hadn’t spent much time in Emerald.
“I moved here quite blindly and discovered it to be a fantastic, clean, pretty town, with a really eclectic range of residents,” she said.
“So I decided I would love to run a shop in the town – I found the shop and it came from there!”
One section of the large store houses high-quality, modern recycled clothing from labels including Alannah Hill, Metalicus, Country Road, small boutique labels and many more.
Another includes hand-picked funky and wearable vintage clothing, and a range of high quality shoes and boots.
“Then the rest of the large shop space is divided into areas of varied sizes and they are leased by people – many artists – selling their amazing work,” Lisa said. The range includes jewellery, clothes, contemporary arts and crafts, home wares, dolls, kid’s clothes, and more.
“Due to the broad range of products the stall holders and I sell, it is almost like many shops within one building,” Lisa said.
“The shop stall arrangement we have is really effective.
“The stall-holders pay a small amount towards the rent and I don’t take a commission on their sales, leaving profits to return to the artist so the prices are kept reasonable for both the shopper and stocker or artist.
“We are unique for Emerald.”
Finders Keepers is at 365 Main Street, Emerald, and is open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday.